Friday, March 25, 2011

An Affair Without End by Candace Camp

The blurb:
When Oliver, Early of Stewkesbury, asks the dashing Lady Vivian Carlyle to ensure that his American cousins meet the cream of London society, he doesn't anticipate the danger she will pose to his own self-control. Thrown into intimate contat with the lovely lady, Oliver finds he cannot stop thinking of Vivian -- of her wit, her smile, and her beauty. And when Vivian, who has sworn never to subject herself to the bonds of matrimony, boldly suggests that she and Oliver become lovers instead, her scandalous proposal is temptation indeed! But with an alarming series of jewel thefts rocking London, the ever-outrageous Vivian insists on trying to discover the perpetrator despite Oliver's admonitions. And when a bold lady steps into danger, it is a gentleman's duty to protect her at all costs. What neither Oliver nor Vivian can anticipate, however, is that the ultimate cost may be both their lives.

Review:An Affair Without End is the latest in Candace Camp's Willowmere series. The main characters are the feisty and unconventional daughter of a duke, Vivian Carlyle; Vivian's brother Gregory, the bookish and reclusive fifth marquis of Seyre; four American sisters who are cousins to Lord Steweksbery - particularly of interest is the least conventional of the four, Camellia; Lord Oliver Steweksbery whose family dates back to the 11th century and is always circumspect, proper, and occasionally fusty.

While Oliver is meant to represent the stolid and rule bound point of view, he borders on the tedious. It may be that he is fully representative of the times, but it is very easy to see how Vivian finds him frustrating. Sometimes it's difficult to imagine why she carries a torch for him at all! Vivian comes across well - we can picture her high spirits, her beauty, the freedom that she'd become accustomed to as the only daughter of an unconventional duke. Her close friendship with Camellia and her kindnesses to the people around her make her the one to cheer for in the book. The romance between Camella and Gregory is fun and adds much to the book.

Overall, An Affair Without Endis a fun read. But even as Oliver was falling in love with Vivian, it was easy to keep a certain emotional distance from him and his charms.

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